Dilemma

Post Sun Jan 12, 2014 12:39 pm

I'm having bad thoughts about getting rid of my touring in favour of something more modern. I've got my eye on an E46 touring

http://occasions.hollandcars.nl/BMW/3-s ... o=gallerij

Which is well specced and looks to be in good condition. Problem is I've had my E30 as a daily for almost 14 years and have spent about 25 grand on it give or take (

) and am obviously very attached to it. It gets positive comments all the time and stands out from all the other modern cars on the road. I don't need to sell the E30 to finance another car so I'm thinking of mothballing it until such time that I'm feeling the love for it again, but that said, it seems pretty unlikely that I'd go back to driving a 25+ year old car after driving something relatively modern and refined for a while. Has anyone else been in this situation? What's a good compromise??

Post Sun Jan 12, 2014 12:48 pm

Now I did this about 7 years ago, I mothballed my daily E30 and bought an almost new E46... it was fun for a few weeks but it got boring quickly,
I sold it after 2 months and went back to the E30 luckily I didn't lose any money,

Try it Ed, it may work in your situation, and just use the touring on weekends?

Post Sun Jan 12, 2014 1:05 pm

A very understandable point of view.

A more recent beemer seems like a good compromise, but if I were you, I would go for a petrol engine. But that's only me, it depends how you use the car. Long motorway driving or city wandering?

Oil burners are expensive to keep running, and are only worth thinking of if you do long trips at a stable speed. Diesel engines don't like city driving, and they tend to clog up everywhere, from the EGR to the injectors, catalyst and so on.

Plus, the more recent EURO norm Diesel engines possess a "depollution" system consisting of a particle filter, located after the catalyst. This works in addition of a special product (cerine) mixed with the fuel at some point to help burn away the heavy soot particles that the engine produces.

I have known of Diesel engines, such as the 2.7l BiTurbo found in modern Jaguars, which is in fact a PSA engine, found in some Peugeot vans (shameful, I know) to clog up so badly because of city driving that one of the turbos had broken. It was an expensive repair for the owner, having to replace the turbo and catalyst plus particle filter. Not to mention a refill of that special additive which can only be completed by the make's garage because it is a product difficult to get hands on. Not to mention that you need the equipment to zero the on board computer so that it knows what has been going on...

That is why I stay clear of Diesel, it is a very personal point of view, you don't have to agree.

If I may ask, what use do you intend to make of your new purchase?

Have a look at these:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/BMW-523i-e39-mit ... 19e71f734c

http://www.ebay.de/itm/BMW-Baureihe-3-t ... 51b6606f2b

http://www.ebay.de/itm/BMW-320-d-tourin ... 51b6799a60

And so on...

Post Sun Jan 12, 2014 1:13 pm

No help from me sorry, but been there done that, always gone back to the sport.

Post Sun Jan 12, 2014 1:16 pm

Main use would be a daily 35 km round trip commute to work which is half motorway and half B roads. Little to no city driving and the occasional long distance trip.
Another consideration is I'm spoiled regarding the spec' of my E30. It has heated Recaros, airco/climate control, heated locks, mirrors, washer jets etc etc. If I was to buy something newer it would have to have all these options and it seems there are very few E46s (here at least) that tick all the boxes.

Post Sun Jan 12, 2014 1:29 pm

I understand the dilemma, just putter E21 away for winter and taken the E30 out for daily duties. The e30 is a dream to drive daily compared to an e21 yet it doesn't really deserve to be abused with salt roads, potential prangs, trips to the dump and parts chasing, also owning two saloons is not practical.
I''ll be on the look out an e36/46 touring soon because the way I see it, the e30 should be preserved for enjoyment in place of something a little more dull, safe and practical for daily driving.

Post Sun Jan 12, 2014 1:40 pm

I use my touring daily and have been driving it and an '05 Mondeo tdci back to back for a while (I've just taken the touring off the road for an engine change). Despite covering 160k, the Mondeo is a quiet, comfortable car but its just so dull to drive. From a cost point of view, the Mondeo isn't really any cheaper to run as a daily, around town car (even compared to my 325i if I drive it sensibly).

I can't wait to get back in the E30 even though its basic spec. The Mondeo is a ghiaX so pretty well specced.
The only thing I'll miss when I go back to the touring is the Mondeos heated windscreen.

Post Sun Jan 12, 2014 1:42 pm

Sell the touring and use the money to buy a saloon to moth ball.

Post Sun Jan 12, 2014 1:53 pm

I am maybe looking at buying a touring closer to summer...

Sell yours to me

On a serious note, if you have had it for years and spend thousands then keep it.

Post Sun Jan 12, 2014 1:56 pm

I used my 325 for a daily for 8 years and started buying new cars, the 325 then became a garage ornament and something I used to enjoy when the mood struck.

I bought a new E46 320d sport back in 2004 and the 325 became redundant until I decided to get it back on the road after my house projects and I'm glad I did. I've always had a few E30's on the go inc the trusty Touring which I use more often than the E46 for my work commutes and shifting shit etc.

Sadly as time goes by I'm having less time to enjoy the E30's and I'm looking at the E61 M5 Touring as a family bus but the 325 will always sit in the garage just waiting for a blast when it suits and after owning it for the last 20 years it won't be going anywhere else.

Is it not viable to keep the touring under a classic car policy and use when it suits??

Post Sun Jan 12, 2014 2:05 pm

I have no regrets from moving away from e30's as a daily car. This is something I did 7 years ago.

I miss not having one to drive but I don't think I could now go back to using one every day. If I fancy a bit of old school motoring I drag the e24 out the garage and use it.

The e46's, e39's and even the e36 is a superior car but none have the charm of an e30 but charm is not enough to get me back into one

I'm of the opinion now that e30's need to be be preserved and used occasionally

Post Sun Jan 12, 2014 2:05 pm

Unfortunately storage is a problem, I'm not sure I'd be able to get a second parking permit. Owning more than one car is not as straight forward here as it is in the UK.

Gavla wrote: On a serious note, if you have had it for years and spend thousands then keep it.

That's the thing, it doesn't matter how much I spend on it there's always something more that needs doing. It used to be fun but it's getting a bit tedious now. The latest PITA is I had new glass fitted in the load area as the original got smashed. I took it to BMW to replace and since then I've had a major problem with all the windows misting up when it's raining or just a damp day. On closer inspection it seems the refit was done very poorly and when I took it back to them they said it's the best they could do as the original glass is no longer available, so now I have to drive with open windows 7 months of the year!

Post Sun Jan 12, 2014 2:15 pm

I think if you sell it you'd regret it purely due to the sentimental attachment you have with it.

I'm with Kos, the E30 isn't a happy daily driver when compared to the E46/E39/E90's etc.

Are there storage facilties available in Amsterdam for 6/12/18 months etc so you can test the water and try something different and if it doesn't work out you can bring it back out.

Post Sun Jan 12, 2014 2:29 pm

Over here in Belgium it is fairly easy to use a car as an "oldtimer" as they call them.

As long as the car is at least 25 years of age, you can apply to get an "O" plate, standing for "Oldtimer". You then pay the classic car tax fee, which is around 30â‚¬ I believe, get an insurance and you are off. It's a good alternative, the only exception being that you may not use the car to go to work...

But you are free to drive as long as you want on weekends or going to shows.

Since I am unemployed, I will use my "oldtimer" 3 series to go looking for jobs. It will be more classy pulling over and putting an nice, tidy E30 in a parking lot rather than taking the bus!

Post Mon Jan 13, 2014 8:50 am

Mine hasn't been a daily for a few years now but I always love driving it- wouldn't want to as a daily though!

No desire to sell it either!

Post Mon Jan 13, 2014 1:25 pm

Seems like you're not going know until you give it a go. If you managed to find means of storing the touring and cash for the next car is already there. I'd have both and see how you feel in a few months time..

Post Mon Jan 13, 2014 1:53 pm

I have this discussion with almost every person I know, especially over a brew in work. I went from a line of retro daily drivers to a newish Fabia TDi, which as cost loads of money to put right, back to a e30 Touring daily. Life is expensive enough as it is, without me worrying about my transport to work. It's a tough choice mate. Fabia is mega economical but I've had it 9mth and its had a huge electrical problem and now an injectors packed up. On the retro dailys I've solved the problem within a day or two and for next to nothing.